Dirty Dealings:
The Truth Behind the Vote on the Topeka Zoo's Elephants

Despite the fact that no zoo that has sent an elephant to a sanctuary has
ever lost its accreditation, he threatened the council with that action,
ominously adding that, without AZA accreditation, no more animals would ever
come to the zoo. But his most unconscionable threat was directed at the
Topeka zoo’s gorilla, Tiffany, who was left alone after her cage-mate, M’Bili
died last year from an aortic aneurysm, at least according to disgraced
Topeka Zoo director Mike Coker. Reed warned the council that the zoo would
never be able to bring in another gorilla as a companion for Tiffany and
that she would “die alone.”

On Tuesday, the Topeka City Council voted to continue keeping ailing
elephants Sunda and Tembo in their inadequate exhibit at the Topeka Zoo. A
special work session to discuss retiring the elephants to a sanctuary had
been scheduled to follow the meeting, but political forces opposed to making
a decision before a new zoo director is hired had conspired to force an
immediate vote.

Contributing to their efforts was Sedgwick County Zoo (Kansas) director Mark
Reed, who showed the Association of Zoos and Aquarium's (AZA) true colors when it comes to the welfare of
animals and protecting the trade association’s sovereignty over zoos and
their elephants. (Reed is also a past-chair of the National Elephant Center,
a breeding and temporary holding facility to be built in Florida. Think he’s
mad that the St. Lucie County Commission said they can’t use bullhooks
there? Reed’s own zoo does, as evidenced by the video below.) During a
20-mintue red-faced rant, he bullied, threatened and lied to the city
council, saying that moving Tembo and Sunda to a sanctuary would “destroy
the zoo.”

What he meant was that AZA would take down the zoo and make an
example of it for any other zoo that wants to do the right thing for its
elephants. Despite the fact that no zoo that has sent an elephant to a
sanctuary has ever lost its accreditation, he threatened the council with
that action, ominously adding that, without AZA accreditation, no more
animals would ever come to the zoo. But his most unconscionable threat was
directed at the Topeka zoo’s gorilla, Tiffany, who was left alone after her
cage-mate, M’Bili died last year from an aortic aneurysm, at least according
to disgraced Topeka Zoo director Mike Coker. Reed warned the council that
the zoo would never be able to bring in another gorilla as a companion for
Tiffany and that she would “die alone.”

We already know that the AZA would rather see an animal suffer in
substandard conditions than appear to capitulate to those who truly have the
animals’ best interests at heart. But to make such a heinous and cruel
threat about Tiffany, with obvious relish, is a new low even for AZA.
Apparently, AZA and Reed have no qualms about condemning a highly
intelligent and social animal to solitary confinement for the rest of her
life, in order to punish a zoo that would want to do right by their own
elephants.

But there’s more skullduggery. City Manager Norton Bonaparte had invited
captive wildlife consultant and veterinarian Dr. Mel Richardson, who has
worked with elephants for more than 30 years, to examine and assess Tembo
and Sunda. When Dr. Richardson visited the zoo, he was met by a group he
assumed were all employed at the Topeka Zoo. Only at the council meeting was
it revealed, by Reed, that two members of the group came from the Sedgwick
County Zoo – a veterinarian and curator – though they never identified
themselves as such to Dr. Richardson. This type of behavior is underhanded,
unethical and unprofessional, especially on the part of veterinarian Bill
Bryant.

Predictably, Reed reported that his vet thinks Tembo and Sunda are “fine.”
This is what every zoo says about its ailing elephants, up until the time
they can no longer stand on their painfully diseased feet and joints and
then die. His report directly contradicted information in the Topeka Zoo
medical records and Dr. Richardson’s assessment. In fact, both Tembo and
Sunda suffer foot disorders, especially Sunda, who has chronic foot disease
involving all four feet, information delivered by Dr. Richardson in his
report and presentation to city council.

Also invited to speak was Carol Buckley, co-founder of The Elephant
Sanctuary, who addressed concerns about whether Tembo and Sunda are truly
bonded and answered questions relating to the welfare and behavior of
animals that had been sent to the sanctuary. According to Buckley, elephants
who are truly bonded never harm one another, whereas the Topeka Zoo medical
records reveal a history of aggression between the two elephants that has
sometimes resulted in injuries.

Representing IDA was elephant campaign director Catherine Doyle who
encouraged the city council to listen to facts and not emotional appeals.
She urged the council to help the zoo make a fresh start with a focus on
animal welfare, by retiring Tembo and Sunda to a sanctuary.

IDA does not consider the campaign for Tembo and Sunda to be over – far from
it. We will continue to fight for these elephants, and all elephants living
in unnatural and inadequate conditions, and will keep you informed of
anything you can do to help them.

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